Constipation Tips

Your stomach is lined with a mucosal membrane known as the mucosa and due to a variety of factors, it may become inflamed. This inflammation may cause a lot of problems and complications which are grouped under gastritis.Symptoms of gastritis

Gastritis can be quite debilitating and limiting for the people affected by it.

The Ayurveda approach
Ayurveda is a holistic form of medicine which takes into account many factors rather than just the physical disposition and symptoms that strives to cure the patients of the illness in a well-rounded manner. To this effect, Ayurveda helps you treat this problem with multiple angles of attack such as herbal medications and special cleansing therapies among many others. Let’s take a look at some of the methods usually employed in various combinations among the patients.

Changes in diet: Consuming any diet which has a lot of spicy and rich foods over prolonged periods may result in gastritis and other problems. If you already have gastritis, then certain other types of food also need to be excluded such as tea, coffee, sour foods, chilies and buffalo milk among others. These food groups are excluded as they may increase the acidity of the stomach which may cause an escalation of the problems. Some of the foods that may help with gastritis are grapes, pumpkins, bitter gourd, pomegranate, melons and cucumber, etc.

Natural remedies: Some natural remedies that can be very effective in dealing with the symptoms of gastritis are mentioned below

Ajwain and rock salt have been an age old remedy in treating multiple gastrointestinal disorders and can be effective in this case as well.

Lemon juice is also very effective in treating symptoms or gastritis and also reducing inflammation.

Take amla, ginger, and licorice either in a raw form or as a dried option or mixed with other things such as milk or honey. These help in regulating and reducing the acidity within the stomach.

Ayurvedic medications: There are many specialized Ayurvedic medications which can be used to treat gastritis such as:

Amalaki choorna

Avipattikara choorna

Sootashekhara rasa

Sukumara Ghrita

Dhatri Lauha

However, you should consult a specialist Ayurveda doctor as they can prescribe the correct medications for you after studying your specific symptoms.

For a tea lover, nothing in the world can be more gratifying than a cup of tea. Happiness or sadness, stress or celebration, the answer to everything is a cup of heavenly delight. In addition to the hard core tea addicts, many people, in general, have the habit of drinking tea after meals. While many see this as a harmless addiction, some experts consider the habit anything but healthy. What is the truth then? Is it harmless to drink tea after meals or is the truth different from what apprehended? In this article, we try to find an answer to this baffling question.

Some reports suggest that drinking tea, particularly the green tea or any other herbal tea after meals may be a good practice. The green tea is known for its high antioxidant and polyphenol content.

When consumed after a meal, the green or herbal tea acts as a catalyst, accelerating the production as well as the stimulation of many digestive enzymes including gastric juice, saliva, and bile to aid in the digestion process.

The catechins (polyphenolic compounds), an active compound present in green tea enhances the pepsin activity to a great extent. An increased pepsin activity indicates a better breakdown of the dietary proteins.

The antioxidants in the green are known to deal with many complications associated with digestion with elan. In fact, green tea is considered an effective digestive stimulant. It is known to provide relief from intestinal gas as well as conditions of Irregular Bowel Syndrome (namely Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease).

Green tea or herbal tea also helps in better absorption of the dietary nutrients.

In order to avoid all merits and demerits, lemon tea is best and thats also before food it act as appetizer. Lemon tea should be prepared by adding ajwain, shunthi (dry ginger) salt and sugar, after boiling all these ingredients, filter it add some drops of lemon in it and drink it. It can be taken after meal also. It will help in easy digestion and prevent from gaseous distention.

While these points reflect the benefits of having tea (mainly green or herbal tea) after meals, there is the other side to it. Not all people enjoy having green tea. Thus, when we discuss the merits or the demerits, we should consider tea in general and not just herbal or green tea.

The Tannin present in tea comes with many side effects.

Tannin interferes with absorption of many minerals including iron, zinc, and calcium (slows down the absorption). As a result, there may be a deficiency of these minerals, triggering a myriad of health complications.

The way your day starts can affect your entire day and nothing is worse than fighting constipation in the morning. Along with a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen and bloating, constipation can also cause mood swings and lower your attention span. While laxatives can be temporary quick fixes, they can worsen the problem over time.

Hence, it is better to treat this disorder with a few simple lifestyle changes and home remedies.

Eat plenty of fibre: A bad diet is one the key factors triggering constipation. Fibre not only fills the stomach, but also helps add bulk to your stool making it easier to pass. Ideally, a person should have 20-40 grams of fibre a day. If you suffer from chronic constipation, you can increase this amount a little as well. As an easy way to increase your fibre consumption is ensure that you eat some form of raw salad with every meal. Other foods that are rich in fibre are oats, almonds, cereals, beans, lentils and fruits.

Gingertea or mint tea: Ginger is a warming herb, which when had in form of tea can make the body generate more internal heat. This helps activate the digestion process and thereby relieves constipation. The menthol in peppermint has an antispasmodic effect that helps relax the digestive tract muscles and makes it easier for stool to pass through. Dandelion tea can also be used as a mild natural laxative.

Castor oil: Castor oil is a popular natural laxative. This is because one of the components of this oil helps stimulate the small and large intestine. To benefit from castor oil, have 1 or 2 teaspoons of the oil on an empty stomach. You should be able to pass stool within about 8 hours.

Drink plenty of water: Water not only hydrates the body, but also helps food move along the digestive system. Without adequate water, the stool is likely to be hard and difficult to pass. Ideally, you should drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Do not count artificially sweetened beverages as part of this count as they can actually cause constipation instead of ease it.

Warm lemon water: Lemon juice helps stimulate the digestive system and hence is ideal for treating constipation. When mixed with warm water, it can help eliminate toxins from the body. Adding a little honey to the mixture can also work as a mild laxative. Alternatively, you could add salt in place to honey as this encourages the bowel muscle contraction and is rich in magnesium.

We live in a world where technology rules our day-to-day lives and anything that may require manual labour is left to someone else. We usually have help around our homes and offices and hardly have to lift a finger or even our heads, when we are in front of our screens. While the trend of being technologically equipped may be the way forward in today’s world, it also has definitive down-side, it affects our health in many ways.

Those whose jobs require them to be constantly on their seats and who may have to work seated in a single spot for the major part of the day may experience some amount of stomach and digestion issues, which leads to the development of constipation. Constipation is a problem in which people may find it difficult to pass regular stools and may face discomfort in the stomach all through the day. In cases where the problem goes unchecked, it may also lead to greater issues such as piles and fissures, which is why it is important to have the problem treated without delay.

The safest way to bid goodbye to constipation
Many who are under allopathic medication tend to believe that by taking syrups and tablets their health issues will be solved. However, in case of constipation, it is important to understand that conventional medication may be able to provide only temporary relief and the problem may reappear after stopping the medical treatment. In order to be able to get long-term results, it is important to target the root cause of the problem and make sure that the entire digestive system is treated instead of just treating constipation.

One of the safest and most effective types of medication to treat the digestive system and the problem of constipation is to opt for homeopathic medicines that help in addressing the root cause of the issue, without causing any harm to the organs of the body, as is done by regular allopathic medicines. Homeopathic medicines also make sure that the patient does not feel drained or drowsy and ensures that no side effects are caused.This means that an active body may be able to respond to the medicines in a more effective manner.

Choosing the right practitioner
The growing popularity of homeopathy as a stream of medicine and treatment has made it possible for patients to have more access to it. However, it is also seen that a huge number of non-reliable practitioners also practice this system of medicine. You must ensure that you go to a qualified homeopathy doctor to get the correct dose and course of treatment.

The colon is a part of the digestive system of your body, which extracts the vitamins, nutrients, water and salt from the indigestible food. This helps in getting rid of solid waste from your body. Now, you may wonder why colon cleansing is necessary. It is required when there is some disorder in the normal colon function, such as when the colon absorbs the toxins in place of removing them from your body, you may experience colon problems. These results in syndromes like gaining weight, fatigue, lack of energy, constipation, bloating and many more.

Cleaning the colon in a natural way is one of the earliest processes by which you can get a normal colon. This process is also called autointoxication. There are some ways by which you can go for natural colon cleansing.

One of the easiest and best ways for colon cleansing is drinking plenty of water. Regular intake of water will keep your body hydrated and the body organs functioning. It will also help your body to get rid of various toxins.

Intake of apple juice is yet another process of colon cleansing. Apple juice normalises your bowel movements and keeps your liver fit. It keeps the digestive system functioning as well. One glass of raw apple juice followed by one glass of water half an hour later works best for colon cleansing.

Lemon juice with a high amount of vitamin C is excellent for the digestive system. A glass of warm water mixed with lemon juice and honey keeps your liver, colon and the entire digestive system fit and fine.

Stay away from fried and processed food for a couple of days. It is better if you drink fresh vegetable juice for a number of times in a day. Green and leafy vegetables remove toxins from your body. They have high amount of minerals and enzymes which provides energy to your body.

Yogurt is your best companion when it comes to colon cleansing. It contains some bacteria, which are good for your body and helps accelerate the digestion process. It is one of the best way by which you can cure every stomach and digestion-related problems.

Salt is one of the essential ingredients in cooking. In its absence, food items do not taste good. The importance of salt can only be felt, when it is not present in any item. Different types of salts are sea salt, rock salt, black salt, etc. Not only do they all differ in taste and texture, there are also differences in mineral and sodium content.

Let us take a look at the benefits and side-effects of all the above-mentioned salts:

Regular Table Salt: Table salt is the one people have on regular basis and use to prepare dishes for taste. Production of table salt involves mining and use of vacuum pan evaporators required for extraction at very high temperature.

Benefits: Benefits of table salt come from its two major elements, sodium and chloride.

Sodium: It plays a major role in maintaining the delicate balance of fluids and substances in and outside of cells. Hence, this mineral is fundamental to keep the bodies hydrated and helps in proper functioning of the nervous system.

Chloride: Chloride and sodium along with other minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium help to keep the physiological activities in check, by keeping them in right amounts.

Side-Effects:

Overload of table salt can hamper the kidneys and interrupt in the functioning.

Too much intake of table salt would lead to increase in blood pressure.

Consuming too little salt can also result in electrolyte imbalance.

2. Sea Salt: Sea Salt is produced from sea water. Sea water is sun-dried and canalized in nature.

The only side-effect is that people who suffer from high blood pressure should avoid taking sea salt.

3. Black Salt: Black Salt, a kind of rock salt, which is salty and pungent in smell. It is mainly composed of sodium chloride along with various other components, which give the colour and smell to the salt.

4. Rock Salt or sendha namak: Rock salt is the purest form of salt - unprocessed and raw, devoid of environmental pollutants and chemical components. It contains 84 out of the 92 trace elements required by the body including potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, copper and so on.

Whether you consider tomato as a fruit or vegetable, it has a lot of benefits that can make a person healthier and fit. It is usually regarded as a salad that you may or may not want to eat as compared to other vegetables. Tomatoes, because of their helpful phytochemicals, such as lycopene, help in preventing a number of cancers and convey other medical advantages as well.

Hence, following are the benefits of a tomato:

Prevents cancer: As a magnificent source of vitamin C and different cell reinforcements, tomatoes can battle the development of abnormal cells that cause cancer. Lycopene has been connected with prostate tumour prevention. Epidemiologists recommend the consumption of tomato as it helps lower the possibility of prostate cancer. High fibre content of beta-carotene in fruits and vegetables has been proven to bring down the risk of colorectal cancer to a great extent.

Heart's well-being: The fibre, potassium, vitamin C and choline content in tomatoes all bolster the heart’s well-being. An expansion in potassium, as well as a reduction in sodium, is the most essential dietary change that an individual can make to lessen their danger of cardiovascular diseases. Tomatoes additionally contain folic corrosive, which keeps the homocysteine levels under control. It reduces the risk of heart diseases.

Diabetes: Tomatoes help bring down the blood sugar level in people with type1 diabetes. Whereas, people with type 2 diabetes may have enhanced glucose, lipids and insulin levels. One measure of cherry tomatoes gives around 2 grams of fibre and helps them keep their levels neutralized.

Constipation: Eating foods that are high in water substance and fibre like tomatoes can help with hydration and advance normal solid discharges. Fibre adds mass to stool and is important for bowel movement.

Eye health: Tomatoes are a rich sources of lycopene, lutein and beta-carotene, which are intense cancer prevention agents. They have been helpful in protecting the eyes against harm related to the advancement of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Skin: Collagen, a fundamental part of the skin, hair, nails and connective tissue, is dependent on vitamin C. An inadequacy of vitamin C leads to certain skin problems. As vitamin C is a capable cancer prevention agent, a low intake can affect the skin and cause harm from UV rays, infections and smoke. This usually results in wrinkles, hanging skin, blemishes and other antagonistic skin diseases.

Pregnancy: A good amount of folic acid needs to be present before and during pregnancy to ensure the infants' good health inside the mother's womb. This can be found in tomatoes.

The above discussed benefits of tomatoes make them a must have for each and everyone of us to keep away many health hazards we face in our life.

Anal fissures are the small tears formed in the anal lining. They are also known as anal ulcers. An anal fissure causes a lot of pain and bleeding during your bowel movements. Usually a fissure heals automatically in a few days time. It can be treated with simple home remedies as well.

CAUSES:

1. You can suffer from an anal fissure if you pass hard and large stools.

2. Also strained childbirth or suffering from violent spells of diarrhea might get you an anal fissure.

Individuals of all age groups can suffer from anal fissures. It is not a very serious problem, and heals on its own in a few weeks. Although it can heal itself, there are certain treatments which can help relieve the pain you get from an anal fissure.

SYMPTOMS:

An anal fissure has quite a lot of symptoms for you to understand what you are suffering from:

1. There will be a very visible tear around the anal region. You will be able to spot the tear on the skin very easily.

2. A small lump of skin may form next to the tear.

3. When you will be undergoing your bowel movements, you will feel a very sharp pain in the anal region.

4. You will find spots of blood on the stool passed.

5. You will also feel a burning or an itching sensation in the anal region.

TREATMENT:

Although most fissures do not require treatment, there are a few remedies that will help cure them faster:

1. Stool softeners: You get certain medicines at the chemist, which are known for their stool softening functions. These stool softeners help to soften the hard stools and initiates smooth bowel movements.